Overview of Education in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

The education system in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has made significant progress over recent years but remains at an early stage of development. Participation rates are increasing in the early childhood and basic education sectors, and considerable advances have been made regarding access to basic education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, progress is generally slow, and opportunities for access vary significantly between geographic regions and ethnic groups. High dropout rates are a feature of participation at the upper-secondary level. In the technical and vocational education sector, quality is poor. The higher education sector has been adversely affected by declining enrolment rates. Government priorities include improving quality across the national education system and providing more financial support to assist children from low-income families to become better qualified.